[coreboot] USB debug cables and emulation

[Peter Stuge]

On Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 02:17:01PM -0400, Joseph Smith wrote:
> >> >> I'll bet anyone all the electrical components inside that little
> >> >> box can be purchased for less than 20 dollars.
> >> >
> >> > In which quantity?
> >>
> >> Maybe when I figure it out, I will buy a big batch and sell them
> >> cheaper to those interested:-)
> > 
> > Even if you have to buy 1000 pcs?
> 
> Sure if I have enough people interested.

Right. I think it is really easy to buy components for a debug class
device for less than USD 20, but you do need quite a big volume. That
translates to keeping big stock. Which is expensive. You will also
want to get paid at least a little for your invested time. (I would
estimate five-six months*160h to implement a debug device for someone
new to USB, and that is probably a bit optimistic.)


> > I'll open my device up if I can find it to check if I remember
> > correctly about the Ubicom.
> 
> Thanks that would help a lot.

To be honest, I don't think it would help at all, but I appreciate
the curiosity and will be glad to provide photos when I find my
device! :)


> If you did that I may not need to buy one.

If you want to design a new debug class design from scratch you
definately do not need to reverse engineer the NET20DC. The hardware
design is trivial.

You "just" need to learn a lot about USB.


> > USB has strict distinction between hosts and devices. This is a
> > fundamental design decision detailed pretty well in the spec.
> > 
> > In order to create your own Debug Class device you need to learn a
> > lot about devices and almost nothing about hosts.
> > 
> > When writing a USB stack for the host one needs to learn everything
> > about the Host Controller and almost nothing about devices.
> 
> Thanks for the tip. I would like to write it in C, my assembly is
> not so good. Possible??

I'm a little unsure what you mean here. There are C compilers for
many microcontrollers, so if you are designing a new device, you can
just pick something that seems to fit your choice of USB interface
chip and make sure there's a C compiler for it.

I am already assuming you are familiar with some definitions per the
USB spec, maybe I should clarify a bit. The USB host is the PC, which
has a root hub with one or more ports. USB devices, or functions, are
what connect to these ports.

Creating a debug class compliant device does not involve the host,
except when you want to test it.


> >> If so, how does it work?
> > 
> > USB serial port. CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_DEBUG enables the driver.
> 
> So if this is enabled in in the kernel, what kind of device does it
> show up as in the serial terminal emulator?

I don't understand. A serial terminal emulator doesn't really know
about devices.

You get one /dev/ttyUSBx serial port. Bytes sent out on the EHCI
Debug Port on the system being debugged will be coming in on that
serial port on the debugger host, and vice versa.


//Peter